Journal of Biosocial Science
2019

Early menarche and its relationship to paternal migrant work among middle-school-aged students in China (Article)

Zhang B. , Yu T. , Chen Q. , Wellings K. , Oniffrey T.M. , Ma J. , Huang L. , Fan S. , Ma L. , Li R. , Zou Y.*
  • a Department of Health Management, Wuhan University, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan, China
  • b Department of Health Management, Wuhan University, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan, China
  • c Department of Health Management, Wuhan University, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan, China
  • d Department of Social and Environmental Health Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
  • e Cerus Consulting, LLC, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
  • f Department of Health Management, Wuhan University, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan, China
  • g Department of Health Management, Wuhan University, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan, China
  • h Department of Health Management, Wuhan University, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan, China
  • i Department of Health Management, Wuhan University, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan, China
  • j Department of Health Management, Wuhan University, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan, China
  • k Department of Health Management, Wuhan University, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan, China

Abstract

Associations have been shown between father's absence and menarcheal age, but most studies have focused on absence resulting from divorce, abandonment or death. Little research has been conducted to evaluate the effect on menarcheal age of paternal absence through migrant work. In a sample of 400 middle school students, this study examined the association between paternal migrant work and menarcheal age against a backdrop of extensive rural-to-urban migration in China. Data were collected through a self-reported questionnaire, including social-demographic characteristics, aspects of family relationships, information about father's migrant work and age at menarche. After adjusting for BMI, parent marital status and perceived relationship with mother, lower self-perceived quality of father-daughter relationship (both 'father present, relationship poor' and 'father absent, relationship poor') and lower frequency of contact with the father were associated with higher odds for early menarche. These findings suggest that the assumption that father's absence for work influences the timing of menarche needs to be examined in the context of the quality of the father-daughter relationship and paternal care, which appear to play a critical role in the timing of menarche. These findings also emphasize the importance of enhancing paternal involvement and improving father-daughter relationships in the development of appropriate reproductive strategy in daughters. © Cambridge University Press 2019.

Author Keywords

Paternal investment Menarche Paternal migrant work

Index Keywords

male controlled study human female China major clinical study death middle school student Menarche questionnaire body mass father Article marriage investment adult migrant human experiment
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85065971791&doi=10.1017%2fS0021932019000300&partnerID=40&md5=efe688597395cb9f1d68ec5782de5f5b
DOI: 10.1017/S0021932019000300
ISSN: 00219320
Original Language: English